Sanitary waiter



Feb. 5, 1924,

M. A. HIGH SANITARY WAITER Filed March 10, 1923 I A7 TOR/V5) 4 sheetssheet 1 Feb. 5, 1924.

M. A. HIGH SANITARY WAI'TER} 4 Sheets-sheet 2 Filed March 10. 1923 as;c, w VE/Y ma MATTHEW J4. HIE/7.

A 7 rams Er Feb. 5, 1924. 1,482,925 M. A. HIGH SANITARY WAITER PatentedFeb. 5, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

MATTHEW A. HIGH, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA.

SANITARY WAITER.

Application filed March 10, 1923. Serial No. 624,264.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW A. HIGH, a citizen of the United States.residing at Anderson, in the county of Madison and a State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary \Vaiters,of which the following is a specification. I

- This invention relates to waiter or server is devices for restaurantsor public eating places, and has for its object to provide means wherebythe requirements of the guests may be executed economically and quickly,and that the food so served is clean and sanitary.

My invention may be applied to use in connection with the well knowntype of restaurant counter, and it contemplates a series of tray decksoperable in the manner of trap doors, in the deck or top of the counter,the hinged end of each tray deck being near the front edge of thecounter and at a height slightly less than the height of the free end ofthe tray deck, a track on the tray deck, a main track on the counterdeck and adjacent to the tray decks, switch tracks leading from the maintrack to the tray deck tracks, a discharge deck beneath the counterdeck, a discharge track thereon switch tracks from the discharge trackand at registration beneath the switch tracks on the counter deck, aswitch device at each of the switch tracks on the counter deck, operableto open and close the. main track, a roller tray to roll to the frontend of each tray deck, each of said roller trays pro vided with a tripthereon to actuate the switch device of the switch track leading to thetray deck to which the roller tray is directed, a latch device tonormally retain the tray deck at the raised or closed position, aconveyor means to propel the roller trays on the main track, and on thedischarge track, away from the tray decks, means operable at the counterdeck to retract the latch bar and permit the tray deck to swing, alifting means to return the tray deck to the raised and closed position,a stool lever at the front of the counter and adjacent to each traydeck, and retained normally at inoperative position, connections betweenthe stool lever and the latch device to hold the latter against movementwhile the stool lever is at operative position (said operative positionbeing the position occupied when the guest is seated on the stool) andwhich said connections so operate that when the stool is released andsprung to the inoperative position, the latch device is operated torelease the tray deck, and a means operable to hold thelatch deviceinoperative, when the stoolv lever may be temporarily released toinoperative position.

By my present invention it is possible for the guest to be waited uponquickly and efii ciently, the expense of such service being reduced to aminimum, the guests order being executed directly by the chef and placedon the roller tray which is thence delivered directly to the guest inprime sanitary condition, and thereafter the used dishes and utensilsbeing delivered on the same roller tray by way of the discharge track tothe department of cleansing, in the kitchen, all of the aforesaidoperations being performed practically automatically.

In the present specification and drawing, equipment to operate two traysonly, is shown. Amplified equipment may be provided to operate anincreased number of trays, without affecting the nature of the inventionor sacrificing any of its advantages.

The several parts of the invention are identified by suitable charactersof reference applied thereto in the different views in the drawings, inwhich 1 Figure 1 is a top plan view of my iinproved sanitary waiter.

Figure 2 is a front view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3,and as viewed in direction indicated by the arrow 3 in Figure l.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 4-et in Figure 8.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the transverse line 5-5,and as viewed in direction of the arrow 5 in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detached detail view of the means that operates to openand close the main track on the deck of the counter. a

Figure 7 is side view of the roller tray.

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view ofthe roller tray.

Figure 9 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the end portion ofthe tray, on the line 9-9 in Figure 8. Y Y

Figure 10 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the end portion ofthe tray, on the line 10-1O in Figure 8.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 11 in Figure 1.

The structure of the counter may be of usual Suitable form, andcomprises the paneling 1, and the deck or top 2.

Spaced apart, in the deck of the counter, are platforms adapted tosupport trays upon which the food for the guest is served. Theseplatforms, and which are designated as tray decks, and are identified bythe numerals 3 and 1, may be rectangular in form. They are adapteditooperate in a way identical with that of a trap door. The frontal end ofeach of the tray decks, is hin ed to the counter frame, and at a heightslightly less than the height at which the free end of the tray deck isretained in a plane or flush with the top surface of the counter deck.The surface plates 5, 6 and 7 besides providing a neat finish for thetop surface of the counter, constitute a closure of the sides of theopenings for the tray decks, and they also form flanges against whichthe tray decks reside when at the raised or closed position shown.

Centrally on each of the tray decks is a trackway, consisting of a pairof light metal rails 3 and 4 The tray, which is "to be transported fromthe counter deck to the front portion of the tray deck, is designated asa roller tray, and it consists of a tray proper, mounted on a lightframe 8 and in which frame are jonrnaled four flanged wheels 9 that areadapted to'roll on the said rails. A metal block 10 secured to the trayframe contributes necessary weight and balance so that the roller traymoves steadily and dependably on the track. At the right hand end ofthe'roller tray and near its rear edge, projects a bifurcated arm 11;and on the underside of the right hand end of the tray near its forwardedge is a trip 12 having a projecting port-ion designated as tongue 12-.The features and functions of these parts will be presently referred to.For convenience in the description later, of the operation of myinvention, I designate the tray that rests on the tray deck 3, as thetray 3 and the tray that rests on the tray deck 4, as the tray 4 Each ofthe tray decks is retained at the raised or closed position shown, by aspring-pressed latch bar 14;. Extending the full length of the counterdeck 2, is a main track consisting of the rails 15. From this maintrack, the switch track rails 3 and 1, lead to the edge of the deck 2and registration with the rails and 1 of the tray decks 3 and 4respectively. Operable to close and to open the main track is the deviceillustrated in Figure 6.

The wedge bar 16 which is seated slidingly in engagement with the pointof the rail 1 has loose connection with lever 17 whose lower end isfulcrumed in a suitable bearing blockl8 secured to'the fname'of thecounter. At a short distance ahead of the location of lever 17 is alever 19 Which is fulcrumed on a suitable bearing block. The lever 17 isdisposed at an angle slanting rearwardly, and the lever 19 is slantedforwardly. A connecting rod 21 constitutes a loose connection betweenthese levers, sot-hat when the lever 17 is thrown forwardly (see dottedlines) the switch rail 4: is closed-against rail 15, the lever 19 isdrawn to rearwardrposition (see dotted lines). Thus when the lever 19 isthrown forwardly fromthe dotted line position) the lever 17is draw-n'toits original position with the wedgebarlb retracted, and during whichoperation, the'switch rail 4 will have been returned to its normalposition apart from the main'track rails 15 by springs 16. Theswitchopera'ting device for the rails 3 is similar in all respects tothat above described, except that thetop of the lever 17: isslightlyhigher-than thelever li of the device that operates switch was,the reason for which variation will-be presently referred to. It will beunderstood that the counter deck, which is shown as broken away, extendsto and has its terminal in the kitchen where the cooking and dispensingofthetray contents, and cleansing operations, are carried on, and *thatthe -main track 15 extends to-said terminal.

In parallelism with the main track is 0perated a conveyor of'the belttype ;'this-c0nveyor may consist of a'cable which is carried over thegrooved pulley 23. At initerv-als-in said cable at, are lugs 25.Suit-able motor drivenmeans (notshown) may be used for operating saidconveyor, and which operation is continuous.

The height of thebifurcatedarm '11 that projects from the right hand endof the roller tray is such that when the roller tray is placed on themain track 15, the lug'25 carried by the conveyor, engages the openingin said arm 11, and the roller tray is propelled at the proper speedtoward the tray decks. By reference to F igure9 it'will be observed thatthe trip '12 hasthe tongue 12. As the roller tray nears the'rail 4thetrip 12 in contact with lever 17 throws it to the dotted lineposition and therail 1 is-moved to contact with rail 15; asthe rollertray-proceeds on the rails 4: the tongue 12 throws lever 19and the rail4is returned to normal position apart from rail 15. Thus the main trackis normally open, at the switches, so

that the only switch that is closed, as the roller tray proceeds, is theswitch whose lever 17 is "operable by the tray having trip 12 at theheight intended for the same. The switch rails 41 being returned by theusual spring arrangement 16 it is apparent that the roller-tray whenbeing transported in the direction opposite to that just described,along the switch track, readily enters the main track.

The roller trays are uniform in size and construction except forvariation of the depth of the trip 12. This variation is in conformitywith the variation of the heights of the switch levers 17. maximumheight is for the switch track 3 which is at the extreme end of the maintrack, each lever at location to the right of the left terminal end ofthe main track, being of decreased height. By this arrangement, the tray3 intended for the tray deck 3 passes the switch at 4 but it actuatesthe switch operating means at switch track 3. Similarly the trayintended for the-tray deck4actuates the switch operating means at track4.

J ournaled in a block that is secured to the underside of counter deck 2(see Figure 5) is a bell crank having the arms 27 and 28; leaf spring 29urges arm 27 to raised osition, and to which arm 27 is loosely connecteda vertical rod having its head of the form of a push button 30, andwhich occupies a position in the counter deck, conveniently within reachof the guest.

The latch bar 14 is retained slidingly in bearing blocks 31 and 31arranged on the 30 underside of the counter deck, and is urged normallyto the projected position (supporting the end of the tray deck, (seeFigure 5) by a spring 32. By means of a rod 33 which has its forward endjournaled in bell crank arm 28, and its other end supported slidingly inthe bearing block 34, and connected loosely to a pivoted bar 35; thepressure applied at push button 30, is operative to retract the saidlatch bar 14. The extreme forward end 33 of arm 33 occupies position ina recess 34 in the frame of the counter, being loosely supported in aguideway block 35.

At the front edge of the counter and. at location near to that of theroller tray when the latter is at the delivered position (see Figure 3),is a guard plate 37, as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 11. The function ofthis guard plate is to normally retain or hold certain mechanical partsagainst action, but which guard plate when raised, will permit saidparts to operate. This guard plate is connected to the main structure ofthe counter, by spring hinges that hold the guard plate at the normallowered or horizontal position shown, and it normally exerts a pressureagainst push rod 37 and bar 38 and which pressure holds said bar 38 at aposition apart from the end of the bar 33 When the guard plate 37 may beraised the action of spring 39 is to move the bar 38 into position inline with the bar 33 locking the latter against movement. The purpose ofthis feature will be hereinafter referred to.

The lever 17 of- At a position in alignment afront each of the traydecks, is a stool 40, the lower portion of which consists of a leverthat is fulcrumed on a bearing block 41. By means of a spring 42 whichoperates through a bar 43 that engages the end of the lever, the stoolis held normally at inoperative or unused position and against the frontof the counter, as shown in Figure 5.

A bell crank journaled in a bearing block 44 has its arm 45 held by aspring 45 at bearing engagement with the stool lever 46 and its otherend is provided with a wrist 47.

The relative positions of the several parts, affecting the operation ofthe tray decks, are as shown clearly in Figure 5. When the stool 40 isswung to the dotted line position as shown in Figure 3, and upon whichstool the guest is seated; the bell crank wrist 47 will have moved tothe dotted line position and into engagement with the dog 48. Dog 48 hassuch connection with the bar 49 whose upper end engages the end of bellcrank 27, that a downward pull of the dog and its bar 49, has the sameefiect on the latch bar, as does the pressure which is exerted at thepush button 30.

The bar 49 is supported normally at,

raised position by a spring 50. Slot 49 provides clearance at the studbearing 27 of the bell crank arm 27.

The guest being seated on stool 40, may inspect the bill of fare andwill indicate on the usual card provided by the restaurant, the items.of refreshment desired to be served to him. After placing suchordercard upon the roller traysay, the tray 3", he simply presses thepush button 30. By this pressure on said push button the latch bar 14 isretracted. The tray deck instantly drops or swings downwardly and rideson the roller 51 of a beam 52 which is journal-ed on frame member 53.This beam is so weighted by a weight 54 carried thereby, and whichweight is capable of being secured at adjusted position on the beam byset screw 55 that after the roller tray will have passed from the traydeck, the tray deck is lifted by the weighted beam 52 to its normallyraised position. Immediately after the tray neck in its loweringmovement, has reached the limit of its travel and which is at the lineof registration with the surface of the secondary deck 56, the wheels ofthe roller tray roll directly on the switch curve 5. where the tray isengaged by lug 25 of the conveyor cable, whence it proceeds along thedischarge track 58, whose terminal is in the kitchen. As abovedescribed, the beam 52 will have lifted the tray deck to the original orraised position where it again becomes latched by the spring actuatedlatch. bar 14.

In the meantime, the roller tray with its order card aboard has beenreceived by the chef department in the kitchen, for execution. This tray3 having then been. promptly loaded with the items called for by thesaid order card, is then placed on the main track 15. The arm 11 of thetray is engaged by the first approaching lug 25 of the conveyor cable24, and is forthwith hauled on its way as indicated by the arrow 24C inFigure 1. The trip 12 of the roller tray 3 passes the lever 17 of switchfor the track 4, but it makes contact with lever 17 ofthe switchoperating means at track 3, and accordingly the roller tray is divertedto track 3, and thence it glides at proper momentum down the declinedtray deck 3,

and comes to a stop at the terminal position at the front of the counterand in position before the guest there seated.

In the event a guest may desire to temporarily remove from the seatedposition before having completed his repast, he raises the guard plate37 which permits the bar 38 to rise to a position afront the end of bar33, thereby locking the latter against movement; at the same time theseat ll) remains at the extended or dotted line position. The guest whenagain seated, returns the guard plate to its original position whichdepresses bar 38 to its normally lowered position. Upon the departure ofthe guest from his seated position after having completed his repast,the seat 40 by the action of spring 45 is drawn and retained atthcretracted and. normal position as shown in Figure 5. With the consequentlowering of the wrist 47 and the moving of bar 33, the latch bar 14 isretracted. With the consequent release and dropping of the tray deck(see Figure 3) the roller tray, with its load of used dishes andutensils, coasts to the deck switch curve track 57 and the track 58whence it is engaged by the moving conveyor cable and transported to thekitchen where it is received for unloading to the cleansing department.

As the dog 48 contacts with trip 60, the dog is disengaged and bar 49 ispermitted to "return to its normally raised position, the inventionbeing then, in its entirety, in readiness for another operation. While Ihave described the use of one only, of the roller trays, it is apparentthat there may be installed any number of the tray decks and trays withthe operating devices incident thereto; each tray being capable of useindependently of the others, the studs 25 on the conveyor cable beingspaced accordingly. The starting terminal of the main track, and thereturn terminal of the discharge track. may be disposed, so that theloading of the trays for transport to the guest, and also the receivingof the tray con taining the used dishes, at the cleansing department ofthe kitchen, may be facilitated to the maximum degree;

It will be further understood, that in this description of my invention,I have shown the form of details considered practicable for carrying theinvention into effect; it being obvious that refinements, simplificationand improvement thereof within the range of equivalents,-rnay be made,without afiecting the natureor the principles of the invention.

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Aplatform main deck, a lower deck, a trap door tray deck which whenreleased has its free end meeting the lower deck, retainer means to holdthe trap door normally at raised or closed position, cevices to actuatethe retainer means to release the trap door tray deck, a roller tray onthe tray deck to move to the lower deck when the former is released.

2. A platform main deck, a lower deck, a trap door tray deck which whenreleased has its free end registering with the lower deck, retainermeans to hold the trap door tray deck normally at raised position, de

vices to actuate the retainer means to release the trap door tray deck,a roller tray adapted to roll from the main deck to position on thetraydeck, and to roll on the tray deck to the lower deck when the formeris released, and means to return the tray deck to the raised positionafter-the roller tray has passed therefrom.

3. A platform main deck, a lower deck, a trap door tray deck which whenreleased has its free end registering with the lower deck, retainermeans to hold the trap door tray deck normally at raised position,devices to actuate the retainer means to re lease the tray deck, aroller tray adapted to roll from the main deck to position on the traydeck, and to roll from when the latter is released, means to return thetray deck to normal raised position after the roller tray has passedtherefrom, a conveyor means to propel the roller tray on the main decktoward the tray deck, and operating on the lower deck to propel theroller tray in the oppositedirection, and means to divert the rollertray from the conveyor to the traydeck, substantially described.

t. A restaurant service device, comprising a platform main deck, a lowerdeck, a trapdoor tray deck which when released has its free endregistering with the lower deck, retainer means to hold the tray decknormally at raised position, device operable on the main deck to actuatethe retainer means to release the tray deck, a seat device supportednear the tray deck, and retained normally at an inoperative or unusedposition, connections carried by the seat device to engage the tray deckretainer means when the seat device is moved to 0p erative position, andwhich said connections actuate the devices that release thetray deck thetray deckretainer means when the seat device becomes unoccupied andreturns to its normal inoperative position, a roller tray adapted toroll from the main deck to position on the tray deck, and to roll fromthe tray deck when the latter is released, means to return the tray deckto the normally raised position, a conveyor means to propel the rollertray on the main deck toward the tray deck, and to propel the rollertray on the lower deck away from the tray deck, and means to divert theroller tray from the said conveyor to the tray deck.

5. In a device of the kind described, in

I combination with a tray deck, andfretainer means to hold the tray decknormally at raised position, of a seat device supported near the traydeck and retained normally at an inoperative or unused position,connections carried by the seat device to engage the tray'deck retainermeans when the seat device is moved to operative position, and

which said connections actuate the devices that release the tray deckretainer means when the seat device becomes unoccupied and returns toits normal inoperative position, and a device operable from the maindeck to render the tray deck retainer means incapable of being actuatedwhile the seat device is at the operative position.

i 6, A service device, comprising a platform main deck, a lower deck,'atrack on the main deck, a track on the lower deck, a trap door tray deckwhich when released has its free end to register with the lower deck,retainer means to hold the tray deck normally at raised position, adevice operable on the main deck to actuate the retainer means torelease the tray deck, a seat device supported near the tray deck andretained normally at an inoperative or unused position, connectionscarried by the seat device to engage the tray deck retainer means whenthe seat device is moved to operative position, and which saidconnections actuate the devices that release the tray deck retainermeans when the seat device becomes unoccupied and returns to its normalinoperative position, a track on the tray deck, a switch from the maintrack to the tray deck track, a switch leading from the edge of thelower deck to the track thereon, a roller tray for said tray deck, aconveyor means operable adjacent the main track and the lower decktrack, connections on the roller tray to be engaged by the saidconveyor, means to 0perate the switch at the main track, a trip on theroller tray to actuate said switch operating means, means to return thetray deck to the raised position after the roller tray has passedtherefrom to the lower deck track.

7 A sanitary service device for restaurants, comprising a platform maindeck, a series of trap door tray decks, a track on the tray deck, atrack on the main deck, switch tracks leading from the main track to thetray deck tracks, a lower deck, a track thereon, switch tracks to thelower deck track and at registration beneath switches of the main track,a switch device at each of the switch tracks on the main deck operableto open and close the main track, a roller tray to pass to the front endof each tray deck, a conveyor means to propel the trays in directiontoward the switches, an arm on the tray capable of being engaged by thconveyor and of being disengaged from the conveyor as the tray leavesthe main track, a trip device on the tray to actuate the switch todivert the tray from the main track, a trip device on the tray toactuate theswitch to close the main track after the tray has passed, alatch device to normally retain the tray deck at the raised position,means operable to retract the latch device to release the tray deck, alifting means to return the traydeck'to raised position, a seat deviceadjacent to the tray deck and retained normally at inoperative position,connections between the seat device and the latch device to hold thelatter inoperative when the seat device is at operative position (saidoperative position being that when the seat is occupied) and whichconnections cause the latch device to operate to release the tray deckwhen the seat is unoccupied, and a means operable to hold the latchdevice inoperative vhen'the seat device is unoccupied.

8. In a device of the kind described, a main deck, a main track, a lowerdeck, a lower track, a tray deck, a roller tray adapted to rolltherefrom, a conveyor to propel the roller tray toward the tray deck, aconveyor to propel the tray away from the tray deck, means to divert theroller tray as it leaves the tray deck, to the conveyor, and means todivert the tray to the tray deck, as it leaves the conveyor.

9. In a device of the kind described, a main deck, a lower deck, a traydeck, a roller tray adapted to roll therefrom, a conveyor to propel thetray toward the tray deck, and to propel the tray in direction away fromthe tray deck. means to divert the tray from the tray deck to theconveyor, and means to divert the tray from the conveyor to the traydeck.

10. In a device of the kind described, a main deck, a lower deck, a traydeck operable to decline to the lower deck, a roller tray adapted toroll from the tray deck, means to convey the tray away from the traydeck, and means to convey the tray to the tray deck.

11. In a device of the kind described, the combination of a main deck, atray deck capable of being raised and lowered, a track leading to thetray deck, a lower deck at whose edge the, tray deck registers when atlowered position, a track leading to the edge of the lower deck, aroller tray to roll onto the-tray deck from the main deck, and to rollfrom the tray deck on to the lower deck, means to retain the tray deckat normally raised position, means to release the said retainer means tolower the tray deck, and a device to return the tray deck to the raisedposition.

12. A device of the kind described, comprising a main deck, a seconddeck, a. tray deck disposed at level'with the main deck, a means toretain the tray deck normally at .level with the main deck, means torelease said retaining means, a track on the main deck leading to thetray deck, a track on the second deck leading from the tray deck, meansto shift the tray from the level of the main deck to the level of thesecond deck, a roller tray adapted to be rolled from the main track tothe tray deck, and from the tray deck to the second deck.

13. In a sanitary service device, the combination of a platform deck, atrack on the platform deck, a tray deck, a track on the tray deck, aswitch track leading from the platform deck track to the tray decktrack,v

a switch device operable-to open and close the switch track, a rollertray, a conveyor means to propel the tray in direction toward theswitch, an arm on the tray capable of being engaged by the conveyor andof being dlsengaged from the conveyor as the tray leaves the platformdeck track, a trip device on the tray to actuate the switch to divertthe tray from the platform deck track andto actuate the switch to closethe platform deck track after the tray has passed,

14:. In a sanitary service, device, the combination of a main deck, atrack on the main deck, asecond deck, a tray deck disposed atsubstantially the same level as that of the main deck and capable ofbeing swung apart from and into engagement with the said main deck, atrack on the tray deck, a switch track leading from the main deck tracktothetray deck track, a switch device operable to open and close themain track, a roller tray to pass from the main deck and on to, thetraydeck and to be discharged from. said tray deck, when the latter is swungfrom its normal position of registration with the main deck,a.conveyorto propel the tray on-the main deck track in direction toward theswitch, an arm onthe tray capable of'being engaged by the conveyor andof being, disengaged therefrom as the tray leaves the main deck track, atrip device onthe tra to actuate the switch to divert the tray rom themainv deck track and to close, the main track after the tray has passed,and a track on the second deck to receive theatray when it is dischargedfrom the tray deck.

In testimony whereofI aflix my signature.

MATTHEW A. HIGH.

